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Tavis: Pleased to welcome Cybill Shepherd to this program. The Golden Globe-winning actress burst onto the Hollywood scene back in 1971, with her role in the classic film 'The Last Picture Show.' Later starring in a number of notable films including 'Taxi Driver,' her TV credits include, of course, 'Moonlighting' and 'Cybill.'

She's back on TV in the acclaimed Showtime series 'The L Word.' The show airs Sunday nights at 10:00 PM. Here now, a scene from 'The L Word.'

Tavis: Cybill, when the studio sent me that clip, I was at home watching it, and I played it back a couple of times, because I wondered whether or not we can be something that we've never actualized. That we can be - can we be something that we've never acted upon? So in that scene you say, 'I'm a lesbian, but I never acted on it.'

I thought that was a strange, interesting phraseology.

Cybill Shepherd: Yes, well...

Tavis: What'd you think when you read it?

Shepherd: Well, I think that first of all, if we deal with the realm of fantasy, we know that we can fantasize about everything and we don't have to act on it. And fantasy's kind of fair game. It doesn't have to be politically correct. For me, I can see, since I'm an actor, I have to learn to try things on. I have to suspend my disbelief, and believe that whatever's happening to the character is happening to me.

So, I fully believe that this character didn't act on it. I think that if we acted on a lot of the things that we - there's a lot of things we shouldn't act on. Let's just put it that way. (Laugh)

Tavis: Fair.

Shepherd: It's better to keep it in the realm of fantasy.

Tavis: But does it make you that? That's my question. Are you truly that thing if you never act on it?

Shepherd: Well...

Tavis: 'Cause now we're back to your point about fantasy. It's fantasy, but it doest make you that.

Shepherd: Well, I think that we can have times in our life where we become an experiment, and explore, and find ourselves in a very new way. Certainly with me, this is a big, in my life; it's a big kind of change, a watershed change, as I get somewhat closer to 60. I've gotten to that point where I'm going yeah, as long as I was, like, this other age, closer to 50, somewhat closer to 60.

I've gotten to that point where I'm going yeah, as long as I was, like, this other age, closer to 50, (laugh) I didn't think about the big six-oh. And a woman goes through the change. This big change. This big change. Some people call it "menopause," I like to call it just the big change.

Tavis: The big change, right. (Laugh)

Shepherd: The big change. And there's this - I thought it was a myth for a long time, called menopausal bliss. Where suddenly, you're reenergized, and you've made it through, and you can imagine being so much more than you ever imagined.

Tavis: All right, well first of all, not that it matters, but for what it's worth, you look marvelous. So, you should not be concerned about your looks approaching six-oh, so.

Shepherd: Well, thank you very much.

Tavis: And I'm sure every man watching feels the same way.

Shepherd: Well, thank you very much. I talked so long about how old I am that it's too damn late to lie now.

Tavis: No. (Laugh)

Shepherd: But also I just wanted to talk about it, because for so many years, and even still now, women, particularly, are constrained by don't tell your real age, and oh my God, we're getting older, and we're supposed to look so more perfect than men. And so I like to talk about the things that are not considered speakable.

Tavis: Politically correct.

Shepherd: Well, I think there may be more politically correct than they are societally correct.

Tavis: To that point, then, what is your - since you went there, let me follow up on it. What is your state of mind as you approach that number, and still in this business? You're on here because we're talking about your new role on 'The L Word,' I'll come back to that. I'll circle back in just a second to the role, to the character specifically. But since you went there, what's your state of mind about this business, as a woman who's approaching that number?

Shepherd: Well, we're basically invisible. I'm very fortunate that I got this part. Particularly as women reach a certain age, they're sensuality; their sexuality is not dealt with in television or movies. Or if there is one part, it goes to, like, there's only, well, the thing I'm trying to say is that sensuality and sexuality of women in the media is not, we just don't see the stories about women as they age, and how we become and grow sensually.

Tavis: Yeah. Back to the character. Tell me about your character on 'The L Word.'

Shepherd: I play Phyllis Kroll, and she is an executive vice chancellor of a major private university like USC. On the show, we call it California University. She's had this amazing career, totally fulfilled as a heterosexual woman. Two grown children that are now away at college. A husband that has been wonderful. And I think that empty nest syndrome, when your children are away, there is an emptiness there.

And the scary thing, or also the great possibility or the great potential, certainly for a woman, is that that emptiness is something you can fill. You never replace your children, of course. But wow, I get to fill that space now. What is, who am I going to be? This has been a very important time for me, this last six months. I have learned to pump my own gas.

I've started going to the grocery store, I've started cooking. I've made some really dreadful recipes, but a wise friend said to me, 'If it ain't good, just throw it out and start again.'

Tavis: Yeah. (Laugh)

Shepherd: And making my own appointments, and it's been, well, that's what happens when your assistant goes on vacation for three weeks.

Tavis: Yeah. (Laugh) I was laughing to myself, at least, when you talked about the character and having these kids go off to college.

Shepherd: Oh, and I went and shifted it to my own life, didn't I?

Tavis: No, I cracked up, because...

Shepherd: Oh, that's right, I didn't even realize that.

Tavis: I wanted to come back to that, because for those of us who've been Cybill Shepherd fans for a long time, I told you when you walked out, I'm starting to feel old. I remember reading my 'People' magazine when these twins, Cybill Shepherd has twins. You had these twins. These twins are in college now?

Shepherd: Yes they are; freshmen in college.

Tavis: Wow. (Laugh)

Shepherd: And one of my proudest moments was actually the 'New York Post' cover which had at the top, 'Bork Loses;' do you remember Judge Bork, who was defeated? Right?

Tavis: Right. Between the two of us, I was on the picket line. I helped make that happen.

Shepherd: Well, thank you. (Laugh)

Tavis: Yeah, yeah. (Laugh)

Shepherd: And then on the bottom was, Cybill has twins, and she's fine. And it showed a picture of me pregnant with twins, and holding two People's Choice awards, or something.

Tavis: Yeah.

Shepherd: That was a great moment for me.

Tavis: (Laugh) You are, again, those who are long time fans of yours know that you are a Memphis native. And I was just telling you before we started here that on my radio program this weekend, we're airing a conversation with a demographer who I interviewed about the fact that Memphis is going to be the first metro area that is majority African American.

That's gonna happen three, four years from now. But the majority, the first major metro area that will be majority African American. And you were raised in this town, and by all accounts, you really love your hometown of Memphis.

Shepherd: Yes, I was born and raised there. I grew up in the segregated south. I remember going to the Malco Theater downtown, and there was Colored only and White only. I remember the water fountains. I remember that when I went to the Shelby County, the county fair, mid-south state fair, that Blacks and Whites had a different day.

And also I remember that I did not have friends that were Black. My only experience with Black people was as domestic servants, and I almost hate to use that expression, because they were so, particularly one woman, Myrtle Gray Boone, was a very, very key factor, a great true life's companion for me. An inspiration. Helped teach me how to mother my children.

And the great thing is that she had 13 of her own, and her whole life, she'd stayed home and never gone anywhere. When I said, 'Will you go on the road with me, Myrtle?' And she said, 'Oh, I can't, I've gotta do this and that.' And she came back the next day, she said, 'You know what? I stayed home my whole life, and it's time for me to get a chance to travel.'

Tavis: The irony of that sharing on your part, the expression of what you remember growing up, the irony is not lost to me that here you now sit some years later on PBS, being interviewed by an African American male who you couldn't even hang out with years ago. I would have been lynched for just that compliment I gave you earlier about how gorgeous you were? I would have gotten lynched for that, back in the day.

Shepherd: Emmett Till.

Tavis: Emmett, you remember this? Emmett Till.

Shepherd: Emmett Till.

Tavis: And then it occurs to me, speaking of irony, that it is your state of Tennessee where Harold Ford, Jr. came that close to being elected to the United States Senate here a few months ago.

Shepherd: He came so close that they say, 'There really wasn't a loser in that election.' Harold Ford, Jr.'s career is just beginning. I think that he did as well as he could have done. But there was an issue about his family, the Ford family, the dynasty, the problems that the Ford family have had, that it was very difficult for him to separate from.

And he said, 'You just can't choose family.' And he was referring to his brother Jake, who was defeated in the primary by Steve Cohen, who's been just a state Senator in Tennessee for, say 20 years. And he's a very close friend of mine. But Steve Cohen won, is now representative, the first White representative from the ninth district in Tennessee in what, 40 years?

The marvelous thing about Memphis is that when you go to Beale Street, it's 50-50 Black and White. Another marvelous thing about Memphis is that when it became a racial issue about Steve Cohen, a White man, how dare a White man represent this Black district, historically Black district. And both mayors, Mayor Harrington and the county Mayor, they came out and supported Steve Cohen.

A lot of people said, 'You cannot choose the right person for the job based on skin color. You have to choose a person who served your community.' And so it's a kind of, like you're talking about Memphis, and the potential for Memphis. It is a fantastic example of a revival, not only with the African American majority, but a revival of the arts, and technology, and a booming downtown, and tolerance. It's a very exciting place to be.

Tavis: You know what, if this acting thing doesn't work out for you, (laugh) maybe you should consider running for mayor of Memphis one day. Or at least...

Shepherd: That's hard job. (Laugh)

Tavis: Or at least be head of the convention and visitor's bureau. That was a great promo. (Laugh) For the city of Memphis. I'm honored to meet you, glad to have you on the program.

Shepherd: Oh, I'm so happy to be here.

Tavis: Cybill Shepherd, now on 'The L Word' on Showtime. Up next, filmmaker Guillermo del Toro on his latest movie, 'Pan's Labyrinth.' Stay with us.